Food & Beverage

Why Spam sales are breaking records

What happened to Spam
VIDEO15:0215:02
What happened to Spam

In Hawaii, Spam isn't just a canned meat — it's an important part of history. It was introduced there by the American military and played a role in the island's economy as a cheap source of protein.

Today, Spam has become an integral part of Hawaiian cuisine. A similar story is playing out around the world.

Hormel Food's Spam was introduced to consumers in 1937. American soldiers soon brought the canned luncheon meat around the world, delivering it to people in war-torn countries facing food shortages.

But times have changed since Spam was introduced more than 80 years ago. Shifting consumer tastes and competition from new brands has made packaged food products a competitive market. Some legacy brands are feeling the squeeze as consumers pick less processed food.

Yet for fiscal 2019, Hormel reported that Spam had its fifth consecutive year of record sales.

Why is this canned meat continuing to grow? Watch the video above to find out what's driving Spam sales.

Watch more: